Adjustable screen chase frame assembly



April 21'; .1970l 'W. ,MOYER f 3,507,062

ADAJUSTABLE SCREEN CHASE FRAME AS'SEMLY Fild sept. 25, 1968 N VE N To R. W/z/AWZ, Mnl/6 United States Patent Ohio Filed Sept. 25, 1968, Ser. No. 762,408 Int. Cl. D06c 3/ 08 U.S. Cl. 38-102.91 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A screen chase frame comprising a U-sh'aped channel member on and as part of each side of the frame, a continuous channel thereby formed around the frame, a clamping means disposed in the channel of each member and comprising a bar, a thin strip having runners for gripping the bar at its upper corners and about itself, and means for securing strip to bar, and means for laterally moving the clamping means in a plane parallel to the plane of a screen mounted in the frame. Such moving means is mounted horizontally across the channel and attached to the legs of the U-shaped channel member. The marginal areas along the edges of a screen or the like is passed over the bar disposed in the channel of each member, the thin strip secured thereto, and thereafter the means for laterally moving the clamping means is adjusted thereby tightening the screen or the like across the edge of the inner leg of the U-shaped channel member thereby stretching or tensing the screen or the like within the framework of the chase frame.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention The field of art to which the invention is most likely to pertain is generally located in the class of devices relating to silk screen chases. Class 38, Textiles, Ironing or Smoothing, U.S. Patent Oice classification, appears to be the applicable general area of art in which the claimed subject matter of the type involved here may have been classified in the past.

Description of the prior art A silk screen chase, the art to which this invention most likely pertains, is disclosed in U.S. Letters Patent No. 3,359,663.

SUMMARY This invention relates to a screen chase, and is particularly directed to an adjustable frame assembly by which tension or stretch of a screen mesh, silk or stainless steel mesh, or the like, across the frame of the screen chase is controlled.

An object of this invention is to provide for a novel stretching frame assembly in a screen chase or the like.

Another object of this invention is to provide for a simple, rigid, lightweight, stable, durable, rugged, economical and/or efficiently operable screen chase.

A further object of this invention is to provide for a positive screen holding action.

Another object of this invention is to provide for a readily adjustable novel screen chase frame assembly by which tension on or stretching of the screen across a planar area of the chase is elfectively controllable.

These and other objects and advantages will become fully apparent upon a complete reading of the following description, appended claims thereto, and accompanying drawing comprising one sheet.

3,507,062 Patented Apr. 2l, 1970 ice DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. l is a perspective View of a screen chase embodiing my invention.

FIG. 2 is an elevational cross-sectional view of a channel frame member for a screen chase in one position of operation and embodying the invention.

FIG. 3 is an elevational cross-sectional view of a channel frame member for a screen chase in a second position of operation and embodying the invention.

FIG. 4 is an exploded fragmentary View in perspective of a channel frame member assembly for a screen chase and embodying the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawing in which reference characters refer to like numerals in the following description, numeral 10 refers generally to a screen chase in which a silk, stainless steel, or other like mesh screen 12 is mounted and employed for various uses in the silk screen and printing screen industries, an example of which is stencilling. Screen chase 10 comprises screen 12, a plurality of U-shaped channel frame members 14 which form a rigid peripheral continuous channel 15 and clamping means 16. Each U-shaped channel frame member 14 includes along its inner leg 17 an edge 18 coplanar with a corresponding edge 18 in every other leg 17 and across which a marginal area 19 of screen 12 projects and is adapted for stretching thereover to a controlled degree of tension by means of lateral adjustment of clamping means 16. The plurality of U-shaped channel members 14 is formed by'securing together straight channel formed elements such as by welding to form continuous channel 15 in screen chase 10. Each U-shaped channel member 14 also includes an outer leg 24, preferably parallel to leg 17, and a base 26 integrally connecting together legs 17, 24 so that channel 15 extending the entire length of the sides or of frame member 14 of screen chase 10 is open at its top. A clamping means 16 is disposed within channel 15 formed between each set of legs 17, 24 of each channel member 14, and comprises a bar 28, preferably square in cross-section, and of a length extending substantially the length of each member 14, a strip 30 of the same length as bar 28, preferably flat and thin, mounted atop of .bar 28 and having runners 32, 34 (FIG. 4) integrally formed thereon and extending downwardly along corresponding vertical Walls 36 of bar 28 or otherwise compatibly about or around the top of bar 28. In this preferred embodiment, vertically disposed runners 32, 34 are spaced from each other such a distance that they snugly grip vertical walls 36 of bar 28 engagement of strip 30 with bar 28. Securing means, such as each of a set of screws 40, extend vertically downwardly through corresponding holes 41 in strip 30 for threaded engagement in their respective associated bores 42 (FIG. 4) spacedly disposed along the length of bar 28. v

Means for supporting clamping means 16 in channel 15 are provided, here shown in the form of a plurality of threaded screws 46 laterally extending across channel 15 in frame member 14. Each screw 46 seats in legs 17, 24 of member 14, the head thereof preferably countersunk into leg 24, and the base end of screw 46 seated in a recess 47 in inner leg 17, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. Threaded screw 46 and threads of a bore 50 (FIG. 4) horizontally traversing bar 28 serve the function of adjusting the horizontal position of clamping means 16 in channel 15. Turning screw 46 one way laterally shifts clamping means 16 toward inner leg 17, and turning screw 46 the other way alternately shifts clamping means 16 toward outer leg 24, thereby controlling the stretch or tension of screen 12 in a plane coincident with the plane of edges 18 about frame member 14. The distinctadvantage of non-slippage of screen 12 is eciently achieved by a force acting parallel to the plane of screen 12.

In assembling screen chase 10, a screen 12 having dimensions greater than the area contained within the outer limits of leg 24, is best suited for use with the invention. After a bar 28 has been threaded upon screws 46 which are thence seated to a leg 17 in each U-shaped channel member 14, the marginal area 19 of screen 12 is laid over bar 28. Bar 28 is preferably threaded to a location near leg 17 in this step of assembly, as shown in FIG. 2, so that no undue tension or stretch across an edge 18 is experienced, as it should now be apparent that such a location facilitates the assembly of screen 12 to frame member 14. Strip 30 is then placed into engagement upon such marginal areas of screen 12 such that its runners 32, 34 grip walls 36 of bar 28. Each screw 40 is then inserted through its corresponding hole 41 in strip 30, through the material of screen 12, and into a threaded bore 42 of bar 28, thereby securely clamping screen 12 thereto. Thereafter, clamping means 16 is adjustably positioned upon each threaded screw 46 by turning the latter in a direction which laterally and horizontally shifts clamping means 16 towards outer leg 24, thereby obtaining a desired stretch or tension on screen 12 across edge 18 of frame member 14. This operation is repeated with respect to each clamping means 16 disposed in channel 15 about screen chase 10.

In the manufacture of the assembly, each bar 28 can be cut from bar stock, drilled and tapped, each U-shaped channel member 14 and strip 30 can be severed from extruded stock and drilled and tapped. Each channel membr 14 can be formed by cutting the stock on the diagonal, and welding the corners together.

Certain minor deviations in construction and materials may be employed within the concept of this invention, and the invention is intended to be limited only by the reasonable equivalents thereof.

Pursuant to the requirements of the patent statutes, the principle of this invention has been explained and exemplified in a manner so that it can be readily practiced by those skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, such exempliiication including what is presently considered to represent the best embodiment of the invention. However, it should be clearly understood that the above description and illustrations are not intended to unduly limit the invention, but that therefrom the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described and exemplied herein, by those skilled in the art, and having the benefit of this disclosure.

Therefore, what I claim as patentably novel is:

1. In a screen chase frame assembly for supporting a screen and including a rigid `peripheral frame forming a continuous channel between an inner leg and outer leg connected by a base of a U-shaped channel member, and a clamping means disposed within said channel, the improvement comprising,

in said clamping means,

(a) a'bar,

(b) a single strip disposed vertically over said bar and having runners disposed downwardly about the sides of said bar,

(c) means for securing on top of said bar said strip,

whereby upon insertion of a screen between said bar and single strip, such screen is positively clamped therein, and

means for supporting said clamping means in said channel and for laterally shifting said clamping means in a plane parallel to the plane of the screen, thereby eiecting control of tension of and non-slippage of the screen across said frame.

2. The improvement of claim 1 in which said supporting and shifting means comprises a threaded screw through said bar which is threaded, said screw being connected to said inner and outer legs.

3. The improvement as dened in either one of claims 1 and 2 and in which said runners are vertically disposed and snugly engage the vertical walls of a bar having a rectangular cross-section.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,895,309 l/ 1933 Boomershine 38-10291 3,359,663 12/1967 Black 38-102.91 3,422,554 1/ 1969 Prinzhorn 38-102.1

PATRICK D. LAWSON, Primary Examiner 

